Lebanon’s newly formed cabinet, led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam (center-right), poses for a group photo along with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (center-left) and cabinet members in Beirut [Getty]
Lebanon’s newly formed government held its first session Tuesday at the Baabda Presidential Palace during which a ministerial panel was formed to draft the government’s ministerial policy statement.
The panel includes PM Salam, Tarek Mitri, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber , Culture Minister Ghassan Salame, Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny and Industry Minister Joe Issa al-Khoury.
President Aoun opened the session by asking the conferees to observe a minute of silence over the victims of the latest Israeli war on Lebanon.
PM Salam meanwhile asked ministers to dedicate their time to their ministerial work and to resign from the board of any commercial company or bank.
According to Lebanese media reports the statement will include the phrase “the state’s right to monopolize weapons,” which was used by Aoun in his inaugural speech, adding that the word “resistance” will not be mentioned in the statement.
In last several governments Hezbollah insisted on this formula : “People , Army and resistance”
Media reports also indicated that the ministerial statement will be quickly finalized and will be based on implementing Resolution 1701, ” which calls for disarming all militia in Lebanon
Media reports also indicated that PM Salam also wants to include in the statement the reconstruction plan, implementing the law on broad administrative decentralization, establishing the National Commission for the Abolition of Political Sectarianism, the financial reform and bank restructuring laws, and committing to holding municipal and parliamentary elections with the possibility of submitting proposals to amend the electoral laws.